Valving spout having a foaming orifice



June 1956 J. w. SOFFER ET AL 2,750,230

VALVING SPOUT HAVING A FOAMING ORIFICE Filed Aug. 19, 1953 IN V EN TORSJACK W. SOFFER & Do ALD M. KITTERMAN ATTORNEY United States PatentVALVIN G SPOUT HAVING A FOAMING ORIFICE Jack W. Solfer, St. Louis, andDonald M. Kitterman, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to DevelopmentResearch, Inc, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri ApplicationAugust 19, 1953, Serial No. 375,200

Claims. (Cl. 299-83) This invention relates to valving dispensing spoutsfor pressure containers in which liquids such as shaving lathers,whipping cream and other substances adapted to be expanded by gaspressure may be packaged under gas pressure dispensing and on dispensingbe so expanded into aerated or flufifed condition.

More particularly, it relates to valving spouts for containers of thethrow-away type wherein one of the requisites is that the constructionbe so simple and inexpensive as to permit the disposal of the entirevalve and container after a single use.

The objects of the present invention are to improve the dispensingaction of valving spouts adapted for use on such containers,particularly at slow rates of flow, with a view to insuring the foamingof the product as it is slowly dispensed. To accomplish this purpose, weprovided in a simple valving spout a small foaming orifice and anexpansion chamber in the bore of the spout outward of the orifice.

A further object is to make possible easy variation in the size of thefoaming orifice, and to fit the size and shape of the foaming orifice,and even the number of orifices, to the requirements incident toaerating the particular product being dispensed.

It is a further purpose to make possible such variation in astandardized dispensing valve, either by use of discs having specialorifices inserted into the spout of such a standardized valve or by themolding of valve standardized except for the effect of variations in asingle central molding core pin, by which variations the size of theorice is altered.

A still further purpose is to provide a valve stem having a simpletunneled base leaving two solid legs of fanshape cross-section tosupport the valve head.

Other purposes will be apparent from the details of constructiondescribed herein and the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a valving spout constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of such spout.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of such spout taken along line 33 of Figure2, there being also shown in section, an orifice disc inserted withinthe spout and a resilient sealing member and dispensing container inwhich said spout is mounted.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 2, with adisc inserted as in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken along line 55 of Figure l. Therelative position of the bore of the dispensing spout is shown by thedashed circle.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken along line 66 of Figure l andshowing a simple disc insert having a central foaming orifice.

Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views similar to Figure 6 showingalternate types of disc inserts.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the lower por- "ice tion of analternative valve spout, the section being taken along a planecorresponding to that shown in Figure 3.

Figure 10 is another vertical sectional view of the alternate embodimentshown in Figure 9, taken along a plane corresponding to that shown inFigure 4.

In the embodiment illustrated, the exterior of a valving spout 1, of thegeneral type referred to, is shown in Figure 1. Such an exterior viewdiscloses a rigid molded plastic dispensing stem 2 having a dispensingend or tip 3 at its outer end and a solid valve head 4 at its inner end.

In Figure 3 the valving spout 1 is shown mounted in a resilient sealingmember 5 having an annular valve seat portion 6 against which the valvehead 4 may close, an annular aperture seal 7 opposite the seat portion 6adapted for pressing tightly against the inner top wall, designated a,of a steel dispensing container, designated [2, the top wall a having acentral flanged aperture, designated c; the resilient sealing member 5further having a tubular sleeve portion 8 extending outward from theinner rim of the annular aperture seal 7 through the top wall aperturec. The portions described as annular, and the tubular sleeve portion 8have a common axis, designated d, which coincides with the axis of thevalving spout 1 and its valve head 4 when in closed or untiltedposition.

In its familiar form the valving spout 1 may be tilted in its resilientsealing member 5 by finger pressure applied just inward of thedispensing tip 3. An annular inwardfacing projection or shoulder 9 isprovided on the valving spout 1 inward of the point to which fingerpressure is applied; and a helical compression spring 10 is insertedbetween the inward-facing projection 9 and the outer side of thecontainer top wall a so that the valving spout 1, when tilted, will beurged to erect position. Tilting of such valving spout 1 displaces itsvalve head 4 from the valve seat portion 6 of the resilient sealingmember 5, permitting the discharge of the contents of the container b.

The foregoing describes the environment of the present invention, whichis directed to the problem of obtaining proper foaming of the liquid tobe dispensed with the gas which serves to dispense it under pressure.Some liquids are incapable of being foamed (aerated, fluffed orexpanded); the foaming of others requires passage through a relativelysmall orifice and subsequent controlled expansion; and the entireproblem is affected by the desired rate of flow. A liquid which willfoam adequately at one rate of flow may not become sufficiently fluifedat a slower rate. This problem is particularly acute with preparationssuch as shaving lathers,-which, in order to be usable, must be dispensedin fully expanded condition and not as a liquid soap.

A further problem is the economic one of producing valves such as thevalving spout 1 and its resilient sealing member 5, at a sutficientlylow price that the dispensing container may be thrown away after asingle use; and the structural problem of assuring adequate strength atthe base of the dispensing stem 2 where the valve head 4 is joinedthereto. The dispensing stem 2 is penetrated at this juncture by portswhich will be hereafter described; these weaken the stem 2 and create adanger that the head 4 may be broken from it.

In the present invention we separate the function of porting thedispensing stem 2 from the function of foaming the liquid to bedispensed. A result of this separation is easy molding and high strengthof the dispensing stem 2 at its juncture with the valve head 4 alongwith the optimum foaming of the dispensing liquid and its subsequentcontrolled expansion within the dispensing stem 2. This separation offunctions also permits a standard valving spout 1 to be manufactured andadapted for use with liquids requiring varying orifices for bestfoaming.

3 The structure provided to accomplish these ends is shown incross-section in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, with a modified embodiment shownin section in Figures 9 and 10. Attention should be directed first tothe design of the two converging lateral ports 11 which are provided onopposite sides of the dispensing stem 2 immediately outward of itsjuncture with the valve head 4. This region of the dispensing stem 2 isreferred to as the thickened or tunneled stem portion 12, in contrast tothe large bore dispensing tube portion 13 which comprises the remainderof the dispensing stem 2. The height of the lateral ports 11 is the fulldepth of this thickened stem portion 12. Their width decreases from theouter wall of the dispensing stem 2 convergingly toward the axis 0., asshown in the sectional view Figure 5 taken through this portion of thedispensing stem 2 at the level shown in Figure l, The shape of theseconverging lateral ports 11 is also made evident by a comparison of thevertical section shown in Figure 3, showing the narrow width of theports where they meet at a plane in which axis d lies, with the verticalsection shown in Figure 4 taken perpendicular to such plane, and showingthe inner 'rectangular faces 14 of one of the two structural legs 15which remain to hold the valve head 4 to the dispensing stem 2 after theforming of the ports 11.

form a diametral tunnel 17 which is at its narrowest between the apexes16.

In the present structure, the outer sides of the legs 15 lie in the samecylindrical surface as the outer surface of the dispensing stem 2immediately adjacent. In referring to the structure of the legs 15,these portions are referred to as the arcuate faces 18. Narrowing thediametral tunnel 17 by provision of rectangular faces 14 of each leg 15,meeting at the apex 16, leaves each leg 15 with a substantial fan-shapedstructural cross-section. Considering bending strength of the valvingspout 1 as a whole, these fan-shaped legs provide substantially greaterassurance that the valve head 4 will not be broken from the stem 2 thanhad the convergence toward the apexes16 not been provided. Further,having the diametral tunnel 17 wider at the outer side of the ports 11than the inside makes possible the easy entry of fluid into the valvingspout 1 with fewer ports. The use of only two ports in the presentstructure has been found adequate.

The description thus far has related to the entrance of the fluid andgas into the valving spout 1. In order that it be properly foamed, avariety of provisions are possible. In a preferred embodiment, a thindisc 19 having a central orifice 20, as shown in Figure 6 and incrosssection in Figures 3 and 4, is inserted into the valving spout 1and lodged adjacent the tops of the legs 15. In this embodiment, thelarge bore portion 13 of the valving spout 1 may conveniently be formedby an axial core pin (not shown) having a slight taper, to occupy theposition shown by the dashed circle of Figure 5, with its tip abuttingthe ends of the flat, laterally-movable core pins which form theconverging lateral ports 11. The portions of the fan-shaped legs 15included within this dashed circle are shoulders, facing up the largebore portion 13 and outward toward the dispensing tip 3; these shouldersare referred to as the outward-facing shoulders 21. The use of asquarely cut end on such axial core pin forms these outward-facingshoulders 21 as fiat surfaces which support the disc 19 as shown inFigure 3. In plan view, its position is outlined by the lashed circle ofFigure 5. The disc 19 serves as the roof of the diametral tunnel 17inward of the walls of the dispensing stem 2, and its central orifice 20is the only means of passage of fluid from the diametral tunnel 17 intothe large bore portion 13.

Inasmuch as the large bore portion 13 is formed with a draft angle, thedisc 19 may be forced into it and retained by the tightness of fit whichincreases as the large bore portion 13 gradually narrows. However, wehave found it advantageous to provide a slight annular undercut 22 inthe inner surface of the large bore dispensing portion 13 immediatelyadjacent the shoulders 21, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, into which thedisc 19 may be lodged. An undercut of approximately .001 inch has beensufiicient for this purpose, and the size of the undercut shown in thedrawings is greatly exaggerated for clarity.

We have, then, a valving spout 1 designed not for dispensing anyparticular liquid, but suited for a wide variety of liquids; and a disc19 whose central orifice 20 may be of any size or shape that will servebest to foam a particular liquid at a desired rate of flow. In additionto varying the size of the orifice 20, the number of orifices may beincreased and the shape and radial portion of such orifices may bemodified. Figure 7 discloses a disc 19 having two small orifices 20spaced from the center of the disc. The dashed lines of Figure 7indicate the position in which the disc 19' should be inserted withinthe dispensing spout 1, that is, so that they lie above the diametraltunnel 17 on either side of the meeting line 2, with the shoulders 21 inthe position shown by the dashed lines. Figure 8 illustrates anunperforated disc 19" having orifice indentations 20 in itscircumferential edge. On the insertion of the disc 19" within the boreportion 13, into position against the shoulders 21, a plurality oforifice-like openings are formed along arcs in the inner wall of thedispensing stem 2 between the opposing faces 14 of the legs 15. The edgeof the undercut 22 slightly diminishes the exposed areas of the orifices20"; and their position closely adjacent the inner wall of the stem 2apparently facilitates the foaming of the liquids.

The sizes and shapes as well as numbers of such orifices for particularproducts can be readily arrived at by experiment. Discs suitable foreach product, chosen to expand the particular liquid at the desired rateof flow, may be .readily manufactured and inserted into the standardvalving spout 1.

Such a liquid, after emerging from the central orifice 20 (or thecorresponding orifices 2t) and 20"), is released into the large boreportion 13 of the valving spout 1, where it is permitted both radial andaxial expansion. Its radial expansion, however, is limited by the borewith which the valving spout 1 has been provided. It has been found thatsuch preliminary expansion, limited radially in extent, before thesubstance emerges from the dispensing tip 3, is necessary for bestresults. Accordingly, the space within the large bore portion 13 may bereferred to as the expansion chamber 23.

Somewhat similar results may be obtained by use of the modifiedembodiment shown in Figures 9 and 10, a one-piece valving spout 1 havingno separate disc. It is provided with a similar dispensing stem 2',valve head 4, and structural legs 15' of fan-shaped cross-section andapexes 16' presented toward each other at the narrowest point in adiametral tunnel 17'. However, the large bore dispensing tube portion13' is provided with a sharply tapering lower wall 24 and a cylindricalorifice 25 at the lower end thereof. The tapering lower wall 24 andorifice 25 are formed by tapering the end of the core pin used to moldthe large bore dispensing tube portion 13 and equipping it with acylindrical protuberance of suf ficient length to meet the lateral corepins which form the diametral tunnel 17. Persons skilled in the art willrecognize that the greatest mold expense comes in the provision of theexternal form of the valving spout 1 and the lateral core pins necessaryto form the diametral tunnel 17 (which are identical with those requiredto form the valving point 1 and its diamctral tunnel 17). The core pinsfor forming the large bore dispensing tube portions 13' are relativelyinexpensive and readily changed. Accordingly, the basic molds may beadapted for manufacture of valving spouts for varying orifices bychanging the bore core pins. Hence, the valving spout 1' does notpossess the adaptability of the valving spout 1 and its disc 19, but themolds, with changeable bore core pins, do possess a similar type ofadaptability and standardization.

Other embodiments of the invention principles herein disclosed will beapparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present inventionis to be considered as coextensive with the inventive principles hereindisclosed.

We claim:

1. A rigid, molded tilt-opening valving spout for the foamed dispensingof gas-expanded fluid substances, comprising a dispensing stern having atubular dispensing portion, a foaming orifice at its inner end, two legsof fan-shaped cross-section at the base of the tubular portion, thearcuate portions of the legs substantially coinciding with the outerwall of the tubular portion, the apexes of the legs being presentedtoward each other and spaced from the axis of the tubular dispensingportion a distance less than the inner radius thereof and a solid valvehead at the bases of the legs, whereby lateral passages, converging to aconstricted center and communicating with the foaming orifice, areformed between the fan-shaped legs, the valve head, and the base of thetubular dispensin portion.

2. A rigid, integrally molded tilt-opening valving spout for dispensinggas-expanded substances, comprising a dispensing stern having acylindrical tubular dispensing portion, having a constricted end openingadjacent the base thereof, two legs of fan-shaped cross-section at thebase of the tubular portion, the arcuate portions of the legs coincidingwith the outer wall of the tubular portion, the

apexes of the legs being presented toward each other and spaced from theaxis of the tubular dispensing portion a distance less than the innerradius thereof, and a solid valve head at the bases of the legs, wherebylateral passages, converging to the constricted end opening, are formedbetween the fan-shaped legs, the valve head, and the base of the tubulardispensing portion.

3. A valving spout as defined in claim 1, the upper projections of thoseportions of the legs within the inner wall of the tubular portionforming outward-facing shoulders, and a disc inserted and lodged withinthe tubular dispensing portion against the shoulders, the disc having anorifice.

4. A valving spout as defined in claim 3, the tubular portion having anannular undercut in its inner wall outwardly adjacent to the shoulders,by which the disc is retained in place.

5 A molded plastic valving spout for gas pressure foam dispensers of thetype including a fluid contained and a resilient spout-mounting seal,comprising a rigid dispenser stern having an axial dispensing tubeportion, an integral solid valve head at the inner end thereof adaptedto close against such resilient seal, structural legs outward of theaxis of said tube portion connecting said head to said tube portion, theinner surfaces of each said leg converging to a point inward of theinner wall surface of said tube portion, the spaces between said legsserving as fluid-conducting channels, and a foaming orifice smaller thanthe bore of the tube portion, located at a level immediately outward ofthe level of the said legs and communicating between said channels andthe bore of the dispensing tube portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,896,624 Hollands Feb. 7, 1933 2,324,605 Urquhart July 20, 19432,494,793 Boe Jan. 17, 1950 2,615,597 Tomasek et al Oct. 28, 19522,662,668 Schmidt Dec. 15, 1953

